Table service signal device for restaurants



Aug. 7, 1951 c. G. RUSSELL TABLE SERVICE SIGNAL DEVICE FOR RESTAURANTS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 8, 1949 Q vm mm Inventor Char/ es 6. Russell B) 2&6

and

aoiia J 1951 c. e. RUSSELL TABLE SERVICE SIGNAL DEVICE FOR RESTAURANTS Filed Aug. 8, 1949 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Inventor Charles 6. Russe/l Patented Aug. 7, 1951 TABLE ,SERVIQE: SIGNALDIEYIQEYEOR RESTAURANTS Gharles .GaaRussell, Gallup, cN. Mex,- assignor 10f .a'twent tfiallup li. Mex,

' ve iperceent to-William:A.. Hawkins,

to-providea-service signal-devicefor use in restaurants whichds soconstructed that it is inconspicuous in appearance" and easilyblends with the restaurant surroundings.

These and ancillary objects and structural features of, merit areattained by jthisinvention,

the preferred embodiments of which are set forth the tollowingdescription: andillustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a view in perspective of: a conventional napkin holder, which "constitutes the casing for this invention, which-is-shown' "in association therewith;

"Figure? is a vertical sectional view-*t'aken-on line2-2 ofFigure 1;

:Figure 3 is a view in perspective of another type of: housing for this invention;

If Fi ure l is a 'verticalxsectional view taken on line 4-4 of Figure 3; and

Figuredis av sectional view taken on *line 5- 5 of Figure 4.

Referring now-to theaccompanying drawings, attention is first directed to the embodiment illustrated in Figures land-2. Inthisembodiment, the service signalling device is operatively associated with a conventionally constructed napkimholder, so that the signal device willbe inconspicuous and yet will-jbevprorninentlyidisposed. Bycemploying the napkin holder 10, asla housing for the service signal device l2, thesignal device is held in an upright, raised but inconspicuous position on the restaurant table. The napkin holder includes a U-shaped body section I4 having a fiat base or bottom wall IS integrally formed between the ends of the opposing legs thereof. A pair of apertured end covers I8 and 20 are secured to the opposing side edges of the body section.

A partition or wall 22 is integrally formed between the opposing sides or legs of the body section and is spaced parallel with and above the base IS. A pair of upstanding follower members 24 and 26 are positioned on the partition 22 and retain a plurality of conventional napkins 28 in an upright position between the covers I8 and 20, the napkins being dispensed through the aperture in the central opening in the covers. It should be noted that the covers are frictionally held-onthe side edges ofthe body section and are* detachable therefrom to enable a: quantity of napkins to be: stacked on the partition 22. A pairof insulating blocks 30 and; '32-are secured to the under sideof the partitionp22 and-a pair of U-shaped clips 34 and 3fi'are1secured; as byrivets orjthe like; at their 'web portions to theunder side of the insulationblocks, so-that'the clips extend downwardly from the central portions of the longitudinally spaced blocks. A pair of conventional dry-cell batteries 38 and 40 are clamped within and retained by the clips or clamps. AnL-shaped contacttmemleer-42 is formed integrally with the. clips34 and 36, the longitudinal portion of the contact member being secured to the insulation blocks, so that the legs 44 and 46 extend downwardly at right angles from the outer end thereof and contact the outer .end of the dry cell battery 38. Another contact member 46 issecured in,- tegrally with the partition 22 and extendsdown wardly therefrom to contact the outer end, of .thetdry cell battery 40, the inner endsof, the batteriesabutting together. A conductor or lead wirefifl is secured to the inner endof the contact member 42 and is provided Withantinsulation covering '52. The conductor extends up- Wardly through a vertical tube 54 which isintegrally .formed at itsulower end with, the partition122 and at its upper, end with the web of the bQdy.;-section. An openingjfi is formedin the partition for the conductor, with the lower end of the =tubeconcentrically disposed above the openingand an opening 58 is formed in the Web of theLbody Section, with the upper end otthe tube concentrically V di posedthereabove. Aflpair of springs 60 and 62 are riveted, as 211.64, to the tube and bear against the follower members 24 and 26 to urge the same outwardly.

A tubular member or elongated sleeve 66 is slidably disposed within the tubular member 54 and is frictionally held therein for vertical adjustment. A stop plate 68 is integrally formed with the sleeve. A conventional switch 10 is formed in the sleeve and a conductor is connected thereto and extends therefrom to a contact member 12 which is disposed through an insulating block 14 held within the upper end of the sleeve. The sleeve terminates in an axially enlarged internally threaded socket 16, which receives a bulb 18 threadingly disposed in the socket in contact with the contact member 12.

Attention is now directed to Figures 3-5, where another embodiment of this invention is illustrated. In this respect, a vase is formed with a supporting base 82. A pair of U-shaped clamps 84 and 86 are formed integrally at their web portions with the under side of the base 82, the clamps supporting a pair of dry cell batteries 88 and 90. The clip 84 is formed with a forwardly projecting bar 92 which extends downwardly at one end of the battery 88 and is provided with a laterally extending arm 94 contacting, at its outer end, one end of the battery 90.

A contact member 96 is formed integrally with the clamp 86 to contact the opposing end of the battery 90. A contact member 98 is operatively connected to the battery 88 and extends downwardly from the base 82. An insulated lead of a set screw II2, radially disposed through the side wall of the tubular member I04. The sleeve IIO terminates at its upper end in an axially enlarged socket II 4, which receives a conventional bulb I I 6, similar to the construction of the socket l6 and its appurtenant bulb I8.

With respect to Figure 3, it is to be noted that flowers may be placed within the vase 80 and serve toencircle and camouflage the tubes, so that the service light I I6 ma be inconspicuously displayed on a restaurant table.

supported and operatively associated with the napkin holder so as to be inconspicuously displayed. All of the supporting structure and contact members for the dry cell batteries and the conductor line and the like are disposed within the napkin holder casing and within the base of the vase, so that they are completely hidden from view. Thus, the construction of the service light will enable such a light to be employed in order tion and a contact member vertically disposed in to attract the attention of a waiter for service and yet will not interfere With the interior design of a restaurant.

Of course, since many other modifications and purposes ,of this invention will become readily apparent to those skilled in the art upon a perusal of the foregoing description, it is to be understood that certain changes in style, size and components may be effected without a departure from the spirit of the invention and within the scope of the appended claims.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as newisi Similarly, the 1 r service light, illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, is

1. A combined napkin dispenser and signal device comprising a housing, a bottom wall secured to said housing transversely disposed to and adjacent the lower edge of said housing, retaining clips integrally formed on the underside of said bottom wall and extending downwardly therefrom for receiving and retaining dry cell batteries, contact members associated with said clips and operatively connected to the batteries, a conductor operatively associated with said contact members, a tubular member secured at its lower end to said bottom wall and extending upwardly therefrom to house said conductor, an elongated sleeve slidably disposed in said tubular member, a socket member formed on the upper end of the sleeve to receive alight bulb, said conductor being'connected to said socket, switch means operatively associated with said conductors, said housing having side walls, apertures in said side walls, and spring members secured to said tubular member adapted to urge napkins outwardly of said apertures. i

2. A combined napkin dispenser and signal device comprising a housing, a bottom wall secured to said housing transversely disposed to and adjacent the lower edge of said housing, retaining clips integrally formed on the underside of said bottom wall and extending downwardly therefrom for receiving and retaining dry cell batteries, contact members associated with said clips and operatively connected to the batteries, a conductor operatively associated with said contact members, a tubular member secured at its lower end to said bottom Wall and extending upwardly therefrom-to-house said conductor, an elongated sleeve slidably disposed in said tubular member, a socket member formed on the upper end of the sleeve to receive a light bulb, said conductor being connected to said socket, switch means operatively associated with said conductor, said housing having side walls, apertures in said side walls, spring members secured to said tubular member adapted to urge napkins outwardly of said apertures, an insulated block disposed in the upper end of the sleeve below the socket secsaid insulated block.

7 CHARLES G. RUSSELL.

REFERENCES. CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

